A Breath of the Heart
by safersecrets
Summary: With his heart now thundering in his ears, Draco Malfoy backed away from Amelia's carriage, leaning against the wall to steady himself.His mind replaying what Amelia had said; "I'll die first."
1. Sunrise

**DISCLAIMER: Simply, J.K. Rowling, I love the Harry Potter world you have created and have the highest respect for it. I don't own any existing characters or plotlines, they are yours. I have used some lines from the book but only to pad out my own fan fiction. **

**However, my original plotlines and characters are mine so no stealing.**

"C'mon, wake up sleepy head," Eliza said as she tugged at the curtains, letting the sunlight stream in. "Mum wants to know if you want pancakes for breakfast."

"No it's alright," Amelia said with a yawn, pulling her messy, ash-blonde hair from her face," I think I'll skip breakfast this morning. I sill need to finish packing my things, but tell Aunt Catherine thanks for the offer."

"Ok, but mum won't be happy. Be prepared for the food lecture again. You should at least eat something, especially since you have a four and a half hour train journey to look forward to with only chocolate frogs and humbugs to snack on."

Amelia sighed, knowing her defeat.

_Eating is a waste of time, it only makes you feel sick if you eat too much_, Amelia thought. "Alright, I'll be down in 10 minutes. Just let me sort myself out first."

Eliza nodded," Oh and Magnolia's downstairs. I gave her some food because she was really hungry so don't forget to find the cat carrier for when you leave."

She waited for Amelia's nod and walked out the room, calmly closing the door behind her, which gave a slight 'click' as it slotted into place.

Magnolia was Amelia's black smoke Maine Coon. She could remember the first time she received her from her parent's. "A friend to keep you company at Hogwarts," they had said.

Magnolia wasn't just the name of Amelia's favourite flower, but her mother's too, making it even more precious to her now more than ever.

_I'm going to really need you this year Maggie,_ Amelia thought to herself.

Staring around at her large room now lit by the morning sun, Amelia felt the same way that she did when she arrived here half way through summer; unfamiliar.

She didn't know this room, she knew _her_ room.

The icy blue walls were strange compared to the warm lilac walls of her old room, but she knew she could never go back there.

The Valencote House was her new home now and would be at least until she left school.

She had been at Hogwarts for 5 years and counting. Going into her sixth year wasn't going to be easy but at least her OWLs were out of the way.

All outstandings, her parents would have been proud. She never got the chance to tell them her results. They came too late.

At this thought, a small tear gently formed around one of Amelia's deep blue eyes. She quickly wiped it away with her hand, slamming it hard against her bed.

_You said you wouldn't get upset anymore Amelia, _she thought.

_But it's so hard,_ another voice inside of her answered.


	2. Impossible Events

As Amelia descended down the mansion's grand staircase, the smell of pancakes and coffee filled her nose, making her mouth water just little.

"Good morning Amelia dear," Aunt Catherine called from the kitchen, "Eliza tells me you don't want any pancakes this morning, I made them especially for your journey."

"I'm sorry, I'm not very hungry." Amelia answered as she sat down next to Duncan, her other cousin and Eliza's brother.

"Amelia, I know you're still upset but you have to keep eating, your parents wouldn't want you to become ill. Here," Catherine passed Amelia two slices of bread and motioned across the oak dining table, "and there's butter and jam if you want."

"Thanks." Amelia replied reluctantly.

Uncle Henry, who had been sitting at the head of the table reading today's Daily Prophet, put it down and cleared his throat.

His light brown hair fell softly over his forehead, hiding very little of the deep creases that were growing from even more stress and unwanted meetings.

"Catherine and I both know this summer has been most difficult on this family, especially you, Amelia. Your parents' unexpected deaths have shocked us all and I hope that you will choose to stay with us for however long you feel comfortable for."

Amelia looked up from the table.

Listening to her Uncle recalling what had briefly happened pained her, but she refused to let it show. She merely nodded at the offer to stay.

"This leads me onto another matter. We were very much looking forward to spending Christmas with your mother and father, Amelia, but as that isn't an option now;

Catherine and I have had to make other arrangements," Uncle Henry continued, "the Malfoy's have been very valuable friends of mine and this family's, and as we had them round for Easter, Lucius has kindly returned the favour by inviting us round for Christmas."

Amelia's face dropped in horror.

"I have already spoken with Lucius and he said that he his family would be delighted to spend Christmas with us."

"You've got to be kidding. You are joking, right?" Amelia pleaded, not being able to comprehend what her uncle had just said.

"No Amelia, I am not kidding. I really think that the best and most enjoyable way of spending Christmas this year would be with them. Look," Uncle Henry said as he saw Amelia's anger rising, "I know that you do not care much for the Malfoy's after what has happened this summer but-"

"But what? I hate them! They are the foulest, most spiteful and selfish people I know! I would much rather spend Christmas by myself than with them."

"Now don't be silly, you are not spending Christmas alone. You just have to put the past behind you and move on. You and Draco used to be close friends, so don't let one silly thing ruin that."

"One silly thing? You count mother and father's deaths as silly?" Tears started trickling down Amelia's beautiful face.

She had since, sitting at the table, moved to the doorframe, ready to leave if she lost her self-control.

Arguments such as these with her uncle were common, even more so since her parents' death. She did not enjoy them but she felt very protective over her parents, or so she led herself to believe.

"Of course I'm not Amelia, I just think that you shouldn't ruin your friendship with Draco over a death that doesn't have anything to do with him." Uncle Henry said, starting to get agitated.

"IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH HIM!" Amelia screamed at her uncle who was now directly in front of her.

"Right I think everyone needs to calm down," Aunt Catherine said looking at Amelia then her husband, "We will discuss this another time, but for now Amelia needs to get a move on. The floo network isn't working so we will have to use the portkey. It will leave at half past seven so you have 5 minutes to finish packing and get your trunks downstairs. We will meet in the foyer just before half past. Okay?"

Amelia was still glaring through tear-drenched eyes at her uncle while her cousins walked past.

"You should finish packing, Amelia dear. We don't have long." Aunt Catherine insisted.

Knowing that there wasn't a point in carrying the argument on, Amelia nodded to her aunt and left the dining room, not glancing back to notice her uncle storming out of the room and into his study.

But she heard the heavy oak door slam.

Her head was still spinning in exhilaration as she opened the dark blue bedroom door.

She had had many arguments with her uncle, but she had never shouted at him. As she thought about it, she had never shouted at anyone.

_Pull yourself together Amelia,_ the voice inside her head said.

Amelia packed the rest of her books in the trunk and closed the top, fastening the clasps into place.

She suddenly realised how empty this room was without her things in it.

_This is how it was when I arrived; lonely_, she thought.

She did not own many things so when Amelia moved to Valencote house she did not have many bags to unpack.

Most of her clothes were still in her house, which Uncle Henry said would need to be moved here, and all the rest of her things she packed in her trunk for Hogwarts.

Heaving it off of her large four-poster bed, Amelia grabbed hold of the handle and pulled her trunk into the hallway, taking one last look at her new bedroom


	3. Empty Words

"Crucio!"

"AAARGH! Please. I don't know!" breathed a panting female voice.

"Well then, you are of no other use to us. Kill her." Replied a cold, heartless voice.

"Yes my Lord," a reluctant yet well-spoken voice came, "Avada Kedavra!"

"ARRGGHH!" Amelia screamed as she woke up from her nightmare.

Her head had fallen against the cool window, making her rebound at its icy touch.

Looking round to see if anyone had heard her scream, she breathed a sigh of relief.

The carriage was empty; Cassidy must have gone to the toilet.

Just at that moment, the door from her compartment clicked open, making Amelia jump.

"Oh, its you." She said as she saw her best friend Cassidy standing at the door, looking very confused.

"You fell asleep," Cassidy said making her way to her seat opposite her friend,

"so I went to find out how long we still had left until we got to Hogwarts. But I see you woke up. Are you alright?" Cassidy's searching eyes embarrassed Amelia, making her look down.

"Yeah. You just scared me, that's all. So how long do we have left?" Amelia said, changing the subject.

Cassidy wasn't convinced but decided that now was not a good time to be asking questions.

"Um, well, I couldn't find Professor Snape at first, so I asked Malfoy, who I passed in the corridor, and he said still a good two and a half hours."

"Great," sighed Amelia turning to look at the gloomy countryside passing her at a slow speed.

A small section of the dirty window fogged over as she breathed, reminding her of the need of her school jumper and her cloak for when she changed into her school uniform.

"He said he was on his way to see you actually; Malfoy." Said Cassidy lightly, her dark waves gently parting as she suppressed a smile.

Amelia's face stiffened.

She knew that she was going to get asked by Cassidy at some point.

She knew that she was going to have to tell her about what happened this summer.

About why every muscle in her body tightened at the mention of a Malfoy.

"Amelia? Are you sure you're alright?" Magnolia who had been sleeping next to Amelia got up and walked over to her, sensing the hurt in her owners body.

"Yeah, and Malfoy can get stuffed."

"I thought you were good friends?" Cassidy said, shocked by her friend's reaction.

"But I take it he didn't come by then? He must have seen you were asleep and didn't want to wake you."

"Oh how nice of him." Said Amelia, sarcastically.

"C'mon Mia, why are you slagging him off? Just a few months ago you two were friends. We all know he's a bit of a dick but as you've said lots of times "he's just mistaken, you know, putting on a mask" or whatever you say,"

Cassidy could see Amelia rolling her eyes, "Besides he looks quite alright this year, done a bit of growing up I think over the summer and worked out by the looks of it."

A cheeky grin spread across Cassidy's face, making Amelia cringe.

"Well, at least one of us is going to enjoy him this year." Amelia said flatly while still gazing of out the window.

"Don't be such a downer Mia, all I'm saying is this year, maybe give the poor boy a chance." Cassidy got out today's Daily Prophet from her shoulder bag and unfolded it on the first page.

"Yeah, I'll die first." Amelia's eyes never left the lonely looking pigeon sitting on a signpost as the train sped past it, wondering whether it had a family to go back to when the night would creep up later.

With his heart now thundering in his ears, Draco Malfoy backed away from Amelia's carriage, leaning against the wall to steady himself.

His mind replaying what Amelia had said; "I'll die first."

His father had warned him that Amelia had gone through some difficult things this summer but not that she now hated him.

_What the hell have I done now?_

Malfoy was used to people not liking him, especially when it came to Harry potter and his stupid friends, but not Amelia.

They had been friends for years, due mostly to their parents, but friends none the less. Mostly all holidays were spent at either the Lovell's house or his own, it what was his house this Christmas.

_Maybe it's just girl problems,_ Draco thought.

He knew all about them having Pansy Parkinson around him all the time.

While walking along the narrow hallway of the Hogwarts Express to his own carriage, Amelia's words hammered against Draco's skull.

When Draco Malfoy arrived at his compartment, he saw Pansy sitting next to Blaise whispering in his ear.

However, at the click of the carriage door opening her head flung round and lit up at the sight of a preoccupied Draco Malfoy.

"There you are. Blaise said you went for a walk, no doubt looking for me." Pansy said standing up with a smile spreading across her pug-like face.

"Surprisingly, I just wanted some alone time before I have to spend an entire year with you following my every move." Draco replied harshly.

Pansy's face dropped and turned scarlet, before she sat down and turned back to Blaise.

Draco took the other available window seat and propped his elbow against the rusty frame, leaning his pale face against the cold window for comfort and staring meekly at the bleak surroundings, wondering why three words meant so little but hurt so much.


End file.
